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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wake · key · kid · season · plane · root · kick · jam

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. root — the cause
  3. kick — in football
  4. root — of a word
  5. plane — a tool
  6. key — in music
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. key — the most important part
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. root — of a plant
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. season — of the year
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. kid — child
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. kid — to tease
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. key — for a lock
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. season — in sport
  24. wake — a trail

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com